Community Gems: Crater Rock Museum

In the town of Central Point, there used to be a ‘humble shack’ where community members could gather together and ask questions about funny-looking rocks or fossils. Today, this building has expanded to over 12,000 square feet and is best known to all of Jackson County as the Crater Rock Museum, one of the finest rock and gem displays along the entire West Coast. Run by the Roxy Ann Gem and Mineral Society (the RAGMS), the Crater Rock Museum is open for tours five days a week (Tuesday through Saturday), and includes a workshop, community meeting rooms, a gift shop, and numerous exhibit areas. “The museum is literally a gem,” agreed city manager, Chris Clayton, and councilor, Taneea Browning. “It has so much to offer.”

The exhibits in the museum include a wide assortment of minerals, petrified wood, fossils, and Native American artifacts, as well glass designs and seashells. “Crater Rock Museum’s displays are some of the best in the nation,” Browning added. And the rest of Central Point would agree with her. In addition to viewing an impressive array of rock and mineral specimens, the museum has other perks as well. For instance, if you happen to be strolling along and find a rock that looks like it could be an exciting discovery, the Crater Rock Museum actually has a lapidary workshop that RAGMS members are allowed to use for individual rock cutting, polishing, and researching. The lapidary workshop only charges a modest fee, so if rocks interest you, why not look into becoming a member?

Last year, (before COVID cancelled 2020 events), the RAGMS celebrated their sixty-fourth annual gem and mineral show at the Jackson County Expo. The event included games such as thunder-egg putting, soapstone carving, and raffles for prizes, as well as lots of shopping and a live auction of deaccessioned museum pieces. In addition to browsing through vendors for the opportunity to buy stunning crystals or jewelry, visitors were able to view striking displays, such as the fluorescent mineral display—which is one of the museum’s most famous attractions. Of course, if you didn’t get a chance to attend this rock and gem show, the Crater Rock Museum has even more displays at the actual brick-and-mortar building, so you don’t have to worry about missing your chance to learn about rocks and minerals in a new light. Head to 2002 Scenic Avenue, Central Point, and prepare for the museum to rock your world.

Additional Sources:

Crater Rock Museum. (2019). Website: https://craterrock.com/